The Baltimore County union., 1887-06-18
Henry CIay's Old Home.
Chicago Tribune.


rang the bell to the main entrance to
the mansion. A bright-eyed young
miss responded and as l handed her my
card realized at once, not without a
slight feeling of emotion, too, that I
was being greeted by the grand
daughter of Henry Clay. Young as
she is, she evidently knows what Ken
lucky hospitality is, for without CLAN
cling at the card even, she ushered her
visitor into noble drawing room,
where a bright coal fire was blazing
1t is an imposing mansion, this historic
home of the Clays. Tne first entrance
is into a large square hall finished in
polished ash and floored with hard
wood, which no covering but rug con-
ceals. To the left enterc ie the
study of Henry Clay-his own work
room, where he studied, wrote and
received his political and other friends.
Directly ahead as one enters the front
door is broad entrance to a double
drawing room richly furnished and
adorned with pictures and family por-
traits. This in turn leads into an octag-
onal dome-covered library lined with
polished wood throughout. The shelves
on all sides contain thousands of vol
umes, many of them of great value
To the right of the square hall and in
one corner rises broad and richly de-
signed staircase of polished ash.
Major Mcdowell greeted his visitor
cordially and very cheerfully gave him
such information about the old place as
was needed. Many visitors came to
Ashland and all were made welcome
Unfortunately, there were but few
relics of the old times or the old occu-
pants, but the Major showed picture
of curious old bedstead used by his
wife's grandparents, now in possession
of another member of the family.
One can see that the Major himselfis
not much of an antiquarian and that
his bump of reverance for distinguish
ed ancestry was either never developed
orhas shriveled up in the constant pres
ence of his surroundings. think no
law of hospitality is violated in the re-
mark that 1 believe the Major would
much rather talk horse than Henry
Clay. 1t was pretty hard to keep him
off the subject of Dictator colts and
King Rene fllies. The Major, how
ever, showed portrait Of Henry Clay
hanging in the hall at the age of forty,
painted by Matthew Jouett, Kentucky
artist; also an old daguerreotype of the
man at sixty-seven, from which the
above sketch is taken. The house and
its fittings are so modern and the latter
are SO elegant, for Major Mcdowell is
a man of wealth, that one finds it more
interesting in searching for reminis-
cences of Clay to wander about the
grounds, gaze upon the trees he planted
with his own hands, upon the outbuild-
ings, such as the old barn and the ice
houses that are as they were half cen
tury ago, and walk in the paths he laid
out and graded. The view from the
front of the mansion is beautiful one.
1t takes into the panorama the town of
Lexington, and mile beyond the Clay
monument pierces the heavens, a tiny
object, but clear and we'll defined.
The only son of Henry Clay alive is
John M. Clay, whose residence and the
stables of his string of thoroughbreds
are in plain view of Ashland. John M.
is nothing more than very respectable
citizen. He has inherited none of his
father'S GREAT mental oifts
The eldest son was James B. Clay,
whom Taylor put into the diplomatic
service. He inherited Ashland from
his father, and during the war, it will
be remembered, became a rank Seces-
sionist, and to save himself from trouble
took refuge in Canada. He died with
out issue. Henry Clay, Jr., the favorite
ite son, went to Mexican war as lieuten-
ant colonel of Kentucky regiment and
was killed at Buena Vista. His only
child, daughter, is the wife of Major
Mcdowell and the mother of grown
young men just out of Yale. Thomas
H. Clay, another son, was appointed
by President Lincoln Minister to Nicar-
aqua. He was quite prominent in poll
tics as a Republican, but he, too, died
some time after the war. And SO are
fast dwindling in numbers the older of
the descendants of Henry Clay.
Sa%Mamma-'Did you enjoy the
reception last evening, dear7' Clara
sOh ever so much! 1t was simply de-
licious. 1 met Mr.. Albion, and his man.
ner is just perfectly exquisite. We
danced ever SO many times Mamma
MIR. Albion? Where is the charm
ing young gentleman from?' Clara
Il think he is from Chicago, but his
manner is so perfectly English that you
would think he had always lived in
Now Vorls.'
sg%A clerical gentleman recently
met couple of legal friends looking on
at the erection of a new Court House.
The clergyman inquired, Have you
come, in accordance with the old invi-
tation, to view the ground where ye
shall shortly lie?' Immediately one
of the lawyers replied: Not Shortly,
but continuously and at great length.
The minister bowed and passed on.
s@@A lawyer engaged in a case be-